Re examining the Assumptions

Sunday

Jul 7, 2013 at 3:15 PM

It has become the echo chamber comment of the Regime’s last die hard supporters to simply assert that Republicans want Obamatax to fail, which is why Republicans are refusing to work toward implementation. So let’s back up a step. Let’s start with two legal assumptions, and a factual assumption that the Regime’s supporters assert, which we can accept as true for this thread.

First, the main distinction between Romneycare and Obamacare is that each was implemented under a different constitution. No one has ever denied that the General Court of Massachusetts does not have the right to pass health care legislation under the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. The Supreme Court, however, has confirmed that Congress does not have the power under the Commerce Clause to do the same thing. Obamatax is a tax, and it can’t be challenged until implementation, so there is a very good chance that Obamatax will be struck down once the first person raises a challenge following implementation.

Second, states have long been known as laboratories of ideas, under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Thus, Romneycare is entirely consistent with the rights reserved to the states by ratification.

For the same of argument, let’s adopt the apologists argument that Romneycare has worked here in Massachusetts, I point that I disagree with, but will adopt for the sake of argument.

The same apologists must consider the implications of all of these points–even though Romneycare is a brilliant success, not one of the remaining 49 states has elected to adopt a similar program. If you follow these things, you would know that some of the larger states–Texas, California and New York–studied the idea of implementation of Romneycare, and all three reached the conclusion that if Romneycare worked, it only worked in the context of the Massachusetts economy, with its chief economic sectors in education, health care and tourism. (these industries are site specific and can’t leave, and all three generally rely on low paid labor). California, Texas and New York all concluded that Romneycare was not possible for states with large agricultural, manufacturing and headquarters sectors. Point is, for a program that is supposed to be so great, not one state other than Massachusetts has opted for it.

Obamatax is going to be a disaster. My view comes from my clients who are struggling with implementation. Many of them left Massachusetts to avoid Romneycare in the first place. There is an alternative, and there is no shortage of articles and books discussing it–allowing the free market to work. Pairing government disengagement with grants which encourage states to experiment on their own. Admitting that Obamatax is really just another federal entitlement program that is going to bankrupt us all. What I find really strange about the apologists is that the accuse people who disagree with them of being cold and uncaring. Truth is, Americans are very good at private charity, when they aren’t being taxed to death by their government. Whenever there is a natural disaster, its amazing how many people open their wallets to help.In my religious community, no one is homeless, shoeless, hungry or dying for lack of medical care, because we take care of our own. Often, we reject federal programs because they are invasive of beliefs and practices, but the point is that we come together to help. those apologists who accuse the anti-Obamatax folk of being cold and uncaring are the ones with the pessimistic view of humanity, the notion that only our friend the nanny government can nurture. Frankly, I find that to be sick.

Its time to stop pointing fingers. Its time to repeal and go back to the drawing board.

Rob Meltzer

It has become the echo chamber comment of the Regime’s last die hard supporters to simply assert that Republicans want Obamatax to fail, which is why Republicans are refusing to work toward implementation. So let’s back up a step. Let’s start with two legal assumptions, and a factual assumption that the Regime’s supporters assert, which we can accept as true for this thread.

First, the main distinction between Romneycare and Obamacare is that each was implemented under a different constitution. No one has ever denied that the General Court of Massachusetts does not have the right to pass health care legislation under the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. The Supreme Court, however, has confirmed that Congress does not have the power under the Commerce Clause to do the same thing. Obamatax is a tax, and it can’t be challenged until implementation, so there is a very good chance that Obamatax will be struck down once the first person raises a challenge following implementation.

Second, states have long been known as laboratories of ideas, under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Thus, Romneycare is entirely consistent with the rights reserved to the states by ratification.

For the same of argument, let’s adopt the apologists argument that Romneycare has worked here in Massachusetts, I point that I disagree with, but will adopt for the sake of argument.

The same apologists must consider the implications of all of these points–even though Romneycare is a brilliant success, not one of the remaining 49 states has elected to adopt a similar program. If you follow these things, you would know that some of the larger states–Texas, California and New York–studied the idea of implementation of Romneycare, and all three reached the conclusion that if Romneycare worked, it only worked in the context of the Massachusetts economy, with its chief economic sectors in education, health care and tourism. (these industries are site specific and can’t leave, and all three generally rely on low paid labor). California, Texas and New York all concluded that Romneycare was not possible for states with large agricultural, manufacturing and headquarters sectors. Point is, for a program that is supposed to be so great, not one state other than Massachusetts has opted for it.

Obamatax is going to be a disaster. My view comes from my clients who are struggling with implementation. Many of them left Massachusetts to avoid Romneycare in the first place. There is an alternative, and there is no shortage of articles and books discussing it–allowing the free market to work. Pairing government disengagement with grants which encourage states to experiment on their own. Admitting that Obamatax is really just another federal entitlement program that is going to bankrupt us all. What I find really strange about the apologists is that the accuse people who disagree with them of being cold and uncaring. Truth is, Americans are very good at private charity, when they aren’t being taxed to death by their government. Whenever there is a natural disaster, its amazing how many people open their wallets to help.In my religious community, no one is homeless, shoeless, hungry or dying for lack of medical care, because we take care of our own. Often, we reject federal programs because they are invasive of beliefs and practices, but the point is that we come together to help. those apologists who accuse the anti-Obamatax folk of being cold and uncaring are the ones with the pessimistic view of humanity, the notion that only our friend the nanny government can nurture. Frankly, I find that to be sick.

Its time to stop pointing fingers. Its time to repeal and go back to the drawing board.